Urfi Javed lashes out at Shaktiman actor Mukesh Khanna for derogatory comments against women

Not so long ago, Shaktiman actor Mukesh Khanna was at the receiving end of a severe backlash, after he made utterly sexist comments about women and their character.

In a video that went viral, Mukesh Khanna was seen warning boys not to share nudes and that women who ask for sex are prostitutes. “Koi bhi ladki agar kisi ladke ko kahe ‘I want to have sex with you’, wo ladki, ladki nahi hai, wo dhanda kar rahi hai (If any girl asks a boy, ‘I want to have sex with you’, she is not a girl but a prostitute).

While his statements were condemned by many from the entertainment industry as well as the general masses, the latest to join the bandwagon is Urfi Javed, who has slammed Mukesh for insulting women and calling them names.

Taking to Instagram, the former Bigg Boss contestant expressed her opinion regarding his comments. She not only defended women but also sex workers. Adding further, Urfi said that Mukesh Khanna's statements are regressive and they can stigmatize sex workers' livelihood.

“The fact remains that he did say that ‘any woman who approaches a man for sex is a prostitute’ and that ‘girls belonging to a civilized society would never approach men for sex’. He did say that no matter what the context!" Urfi said.

“Over the years people and lawmakers have gone back and forth about sex work. But when it is the livelihood of a person, comments like his can further lead to stigma and criminalization, striping a person of their means of living,” she added.

Urfi also pointed out that a lot of Mukesh Khanna's comments had a communal angle. "A lot of his content is Islamaphobic and Sexist. In one video he calls women disgraceful for denouncing sexist traditions while in another he urges Hindu women to give up their last name if they marry a Muslim. When influential figures say such things it’s not just cringe but also dangerous,” concluded Urfi.